CYIL vol. 13 (2022)

MAX HILAIRE CYIL 13 ȍ2022Ȏ Above all, China has not assumed responsibility for the devastating impact the virus has had on the global economy and the international public health crisis it has created. Whereas China’s economy has rebounded faster than any other major industrialized nation, its economy grew much slower than during the pre-pandemic era. Covid-19 has had a deleterious impact on the global economy in general. 125 Several manufacturing plants have closed or reduced production; many commercial events in China and neighboring countries have been canceled, and global companies are halting production due to a shortage of component parts from China. 126 The coronavirus is causing major disruptions in supply chains, which in turn is affecting all sectors of the global economy. If the virus is not contained and factories in China remain closed, the world economy is likely to go into recession. China’s economy, which was already contracting due to the trade war with the United States, is likely to endure an even further decline in demands than previously anticipated. 127 China’s zero-Covid policy has also led its economy to contract worse than had initially predicted. The economic impact of the coronavirus will have serious repercussions for China’s drive to become a leading global power and for the Communist Party to maintain its grip on power. In recent years, the CCP has concentrated all powers in the office of the president, Xi Jinping, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party. How the government manages the response to the virus will determine the future of the CCP and Xi Jinping’s tenure as president. Hence the regime has kept a tight lid on information about the impact of the virus on society and the economy. China has rejected a request from the WHO to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the origin of the pandemic. China has also refused to disclose all it knows about the severity of the pandemic. China has taken steps to mitigate the spread of the virus within its borders but has not done the same for the world. I would argue China missed an opportunity to demonstrate leadership on one global issue that could have elevated its status and enhanced its diplomatic skills and soft power. The way China has managed the pandemic has severely damaged its image abroad. Public opinion of China is at the lowest it has ever been. China has provided some of its vaccines to developing countries and has contributed to the WHO COVAX program but has not done enough to help contain the spread of the virus. China has been criticized for engaging in vaccine diplomacy instead of being forthright in making the vaccine available to poor countries. Covid-19 will not change China’s attitude toward international law, nor will it slow China’s ambition to become a dominant power in world affairs and the Asia-Pacific region. But holding China responsible for the spread of the virus and the damages it has caused to lives and livelihoods is something the international community will have to consider. The international community should consider including the spread of pandemics as a wrongful act attributable to the country of origin of the virus. It is essential that one state is not allowed to wreak such havoc on the world without repercussions. At a minimum, the international community should demand China takes full responsibility for the spread of the virus and be ordered to pay compensation for its mishandling of the outbreak of the virus and for keeping the source of the pandemic a secret. Covid-19 has caused more harm to the global economy and global public health. The virus has killed more people than in many modern wars. 125 FOROOHAR, R. Coronavirus Will Hit Global Growth, Fin. Times (Feb. 3, 2020), p. 17. 126 WHITE, E., JUNG-A, S., MILLER, J. Carmakers Struggle with Supply Chain Disruption, Fin. Times (Feb. 5, 2020), p. 4. 127 ROMEI, V. Economies Chinese Exports hit as World Supply Chains Suffer, Fin. Times (Feb. 13, 2020), p. 4.

36